Is or Are? 3 Simple Tips to Always Get It Right

Is or Are — See the Pattern

Look at these sentences. Can you see when we use is and when we use are?

• My sister is at school.
• My sisters are at school.
• The shop is closed.
• The shops are closed.

Did you see it? When we talk about one thing, we use is. When we talk about more than one, we use are.

Here is the full pattern:

When to Use Is and When to Use Are

The word before the verb tells you which one to pick. This word is called the subject — it is the person or thing the sentence is about.

Use is with:

• One person or thing: The cat is sleeping.
• He, she, or it: He is my friend.
• A name: Sarah is a teacher.

Use are with:

• Two or more things: The dogs are hungry.
• You (one person or many): You are right.
• We or they: We are ready.

Easy way to remember: Point at the subject. If it is one thing (not “you” or “I”), use is. If it is more than one, or “you”, “we”, or “they”, use are.

How to Use Is and Are in Everyday English

• My phone is in my bag. (one phone — use is)
• The shops are closed today. (many shops — use are)
• She is a really good teacher. (one person — use is)
• They are from Spain. (more than one — use are)
• The weather is nice today. (one thing — use is)

You are doing great. Now let us look at the mistakes many learners make.

Three Mistakes to Avoid With Is and Are

Even advanced learners mix up is and are sometimes — so if you get confused, you are not alone. Here are the three most common mistakes.

Mistake 1: Words that look plural but are not

Some words end in “s” but they mean one thing. These words use is, not are.

How to remember: “News” is one report, one story — it just looks plural. “Maths” is one subject. Other words like this: physics, economics, politics.

Mistake 2: Extra words between the subject and the verb

Sometimes extra words sit between the subject and the verb. This can trick you. Always find the real subject.

How to remember: The subject is “the box” (one box), not “chocolates.” Remove the extra words: “The box… is on the table.” That sounds right!

Mistake 3: Group words like “team”, “family”, “class”

A group word means many people, but it is still one group. Use is.

How to remember: Think of the group as one unit. One team, one family, one class. Other words like this: government, audience, staff, company, band.

Test Yourself: Is or Are?

Choose the correct answer for each sentence. Click Check to see if you are right.

Keep Going — You Are Building Something

You just learned when to use is and are. That is one more grammar rule you will never get wrong again.

But here is something interesting. What happens when you talk about the past? Do you say “she wasn’t there” or “she weren’t there”? And what about questions — “wasn’t you” or “weren’t you”? The answer is not as simple as you might think.

Next lesson: Weren’t vs. Wasn’t: Easy Guide for Perfect English Grammar